Integrated circuit for network stress testing

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes a first port configured to receive packets and a packet definition. The packets are transmitted from a network to the integrated circuit. One of (i) the packet definition is transmitted from a central processing unit of a host to the integrated circuit and (ii) the packets include the packet definition. The packet definition identifies characteristics of a packet. A forwarding engine is configured to (i) receive the packets from the first port and (ii) forward the packets to a second port. A packet generator is configured to (i) receive the packet definition and (ii) originate a test packet according to the packet definition. A medium access controller is configured to test the network by transmitting the test packet to the network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated circuit comprising:
 a first port configured to receive packets and a packet definition, wherein the packets are transmitted from a network to the integrated circuit, wherein one of (i) the packet definition is transmitted from a central processing unit of a host to the integrated circuit and (ii) the packets include the packet definition, and wherein the packet definition identifies characteristics of a packet; 
 a forwarding engine configured to (i) receive the packets from the first port and (ii) forward the packets to a second port; 
 a packet generator configured to (i) receive the packet definition and (ii) originate a test packet according to the packet definition; and 
 a medium access controller configured to test the network by transmitting the test packet to the network. 
 
     
     
       2. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the medium access controller is configured to separate the packet definition from the packets prior to the packets being received by the forwarding engine. 
     
     
       3. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein one of the packets includes the packet definition. 
     
     
       4. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the port receives the packet definition from the central processing unit. 
     
     
       5. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a second port configured to transmit the packets excluding the packet definition to the network. 
     
     
       6. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packet definition is transmitted from a second network device over the network to a first network device; and 
 the first network device comprises the integrated circuit. 
 
     
     
       7. The integrated circuit of  claim 6 , wherein the packets are transmitted from at least one of the second network device and a third network device to the first network device. 
     
     
       8. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , further comprising a counter configured to count a number of test packets, wherein the test packets are received by the first port from the network, and
 wherein the test packets received from the network are transmitted to the first port in response to the test packet transmitted from the first port to the network. 
 
     
     
       9. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the medium access controller comprises:
 an egress queue configured to store packets received by the second port and from the forwarding engine; 
 a test queue configured to store the test packet originated by the packet generator; and 
 a scheduler configured to schedule packets stored in the egress queue and the test queue for transmission to the network, wherein the scheduler comprises
 a first input in communication with the egress queue, 
 a second input in communication with the test queue, and 
 an output in communication with a network transmit interface. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first port comprises a network receive interface; 
 the network receive interface is configured to receive a reply packet from the network; 
 the reply packet indicates a number of test packets (i) originated by the packet generator, (ii) transmitted by the network transmit interface to the network, and (iii) received by network devices of the network; and 
 the medium access controller is configured to determine a packet loss based on (i) the number of test packets and (ii) a number of test packets originated by the packet generator and transmitted by the network transmit interface to the network. 
 
     
     
       11. The integrated circuit of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the medium access controller is configured to determine the packet loss based on properties of the test packets originated by the packet generator; and 
 the properties comprise at least one of 
 a source address of the reply packet, 
 a destination address of the test packets originated by the packet generator and transmitted by the network transmit interface, and 
 a quality of service for the test packets originated by the packet generator and transmitted by the network transmit interface. 
 
     
     
       12. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first port comprises a network receive interface to receive the packets from the network; and 
 the integrated circuit further comprises
 a classifier configured to identify the packets received by the network receive interface in reply to packets originated and transmitted by the first port or the second port, and 
 a counter configured to count a number of the packets received by the network receive interface in response to test packets originated and transmitted by the first port or the second port, 
 
 wherein the medium access controller is configured to determine a packet loss based on the count. 
 
     
     
       13. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first port comprises a network receive interface configured to receive the packets from the network; and 
 the integrated circuit further comprises
 a classifier configured to determine properties of the packets received by the network receive interface, and 
 a counter configured to count a number of packets (i) received by the network receive interface and (ii) having properties matching property definitions received by the first port, 
 
 wherein the medium access controller is configured to determine a packet loss based on the count. 
 
     
     
       14. The integrated circuit of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the counter is configured to increment when a packet received by the network receive interface has the properties matching the property definitions received by the first port; 
 the property definitions comprise at least one of 
 a value for a field in the packets indicates the packets were originated by the first port or the second port in the integrated circuit, 
 a value for a field in the packets indicates the packets were originated by a port in another integrated circuit, and 
 a quality of service for the packets; and 
 the first port is configured to 
 receive a request for the number of the packets, and 
 transmit a packet of data comprising the number of the packets. 
 
     
     
       15. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packet generator is configured to originate the test packet to have the characteristics of the packet identified in the packet definition; and 
 the characteristics comprise 
 an address definition identifying an address for the test packet, and 
 a load definition identifying a number of test packets originated by the packet generator. 
 
     
     
       16. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packet generator is configured to originate the test packet to have the characteristics of the packet identified in the packet definition; and 
 the characteristics comprise 
 a protocol definition identifying a network protocol for the test packet, and 
 a payload definition identifying a data pattern for a payload of the test packet. 
 
     
     
       17. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packet generator is configured to originate the test packet to have the characteristics of the packet identified in the packet definition; and 
 the characteristics comprise 
 a data rate definition identifying a data rate at which the test packet is transmitted, and 
 a quality of service definition identifying a quality of service for the test packet. 
 
     
     
       18. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the medium access controller is configured to transmit the test packet over the network to stress-test the network. 
     
     
       19. The integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first port and the second port support testing of the network while transporting the packets; 
 the first port and the second port receive and transmit the packets while generating and transmitting the test packet; and 
 the packets are separate from the test packet. 
 
     
     
       20. A first network device comprising the integrated circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first network device is an end device for the packet definition; 
 the first port transmits the test packet to a second network device over the network; and 
 the second network device is an end device for the test packet.